Landing stage or station for aircraft



APPLICATION FILED DEC-161 I920.

Patented Nov. 1, 1921.

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UNITED STATES WILLIAM J. STEWART, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

LANDING STAGE OR STATION FOR AIRCRAFT.

Application filed December 16, 1920.

T all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WILLIAM J. STEWART, acitizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county ofPhiladelphia. and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and usefulImprovements in Landing Stages or Stations for Aircraft, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to a landing stage or station for aircraft, andparticularly aircraft of the airplane type.

One object of the invention is to provide a landing stage or stationwhereby airplanes may be readily and safely landed in congested areasupon the roofs of buildings or at any desired elevation above thesurface of the ground.

Another object of the invention is to provide a landing stage or stationwhich may be easily, quickly and cheaply constructed and economicallymaintained in proper condition.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an airplane landingstage or station having a defined runway or platform of such shape. asto enable the craft to be safely landed and quickly brought to a stop.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an airplane landingstage or station in which the runway or platform may be supported upon askeleton framework, and in which said runway or platform is soconstructed as to permitof the free passage of air therethrough, therebyrelieving the structure of wind stresses and providing for the blowingaway or clearance of all trash 01. foreign materials falling thereon.

The invention consists of the features of construction, combination andarrangement of parts, hereinafter fully described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a sideelevation, partly in section, of a portion of an airplane landing stageor station en'ibodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same.

Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section through the landing stage orstation.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2'showing a modification in thearrangement of the component parts of the platform or runway.

In carrying my invention into practice, I provide a landing stage orstation comprising a supporting framework 1 and a platform or runway 2laid thereon. This land- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 1, 1921. Serial No. 431,110.

ing stage or station may be of any suitable length and width, asconditions or circumstances may allow or require, and the platform orrunway portion 2 thereof is provided with terminal portions 3 and 4 anda gradient intermediate portion 5. As shown, the portions 3 and 4 arearranged at different horizontal levels and are connected by thegradient intermediate portion 5 which forms therewith a continuousplatform or runway. The portion 3 arranged at the lowest horizontallevel constitutes an initial landing stage on which the machine to belanded first alights, such machine traveling up the gradient or inclinedportion 5 whereby its speed is rapidly reduced, and stopping on theterminal portion 4 arranged at the highest elevation. By the provisionof a platform or runway of such construction it will be evident that thespeed of the landed machine will be quickly arrested by its travel upthe gradient portion 5, so that it will be under full and completecontrol on reaching the portion 4, along which it will slowly traveluntil it comes to an easy stop. By this means thelength of the landingplat-' form or runway may be considerably reduced, allowing a landingstage or platform of ample length for the landing of the highest speedmachines to be mounted upon the roof of a building or the roofs of adjoining buildings o'f comparatively restricted area or linear extent, orupon a ground surface of restricted size, so that ground in or nearcities or other congested areas not now available for the purpose may berendered available for such purpose by the provision of a landing stageor platform constructed in accordance with my invention.

Preferably the supporting framework 1 is of skeleton type. and may be oftrestlework formation as shown, the same being constructed of spacedseries of side uprights 6 connected by suitable stringers 7 andcrosspieces 8. The side posts of each series may be connected bysuitable trusses or braces 9 and the side posts of the two series may beconnected by similar trusses or crosspieces 10. ,VVhere the structure ismounted upon a roof or is designed to support the platform or runway ata considerable height top and bottom stringers and cross-pieces may beemployed to secure maximum strength of construction, but, where the platform or runway is supported above a roadway or street surface, the lowercross-pieces and braces 10 may be omitted to form a clear passage fortravel and the uprights otherwise suitably tied and braced. A skeletonframework of the character disclosed may be quickly and inexpensivelyconstructed and will therefore be found of advantage whereby economy ofconstruction is essential or conditions such that the supporting surfacefor the platform or runway can not be otherwise produced. Thissupporting structure being open from side to side allows free passage ofwind currents, thereby reducing strain upon such structure.

The runway or platform 2 is also properly constructed to permit of thefree passage of air currents therethrough. To this end it is preferablymade of boards or planks 11 spaced so as to provide intervening spacesor air passages 12 therebetween. In Figs. 1 and 2 I have shown theboards or planks 11 arranged cross-wise and in parallel relation to eachother, but they may be extended diagonally of the structure as shown bythe arrangement of the boards or planks 11 in Fig. 4:. or arranged atother suitable angles according to local conditions and to the generalprevailing course of travel of air currents. If desired, the boards orplanks may be laid, set or inserted in a grating like fashion with theboard surfaces parallel to one another. thus permitting the use of anyrequired depth for strength without reducing the intervening air spaceswhich reduce the resistance to air currents or wind strains. The purposeof so constructing the runway or platform is to allow the wind pressuresto blow freely therethrough, thus relieving the structure as a whole ofabnormal wind pressures or strains. and enabling a comparatively lightbut strong and durable type of structure to be built at a comparativelylow cost. The air spaces furthermore, in allowing the wind to blowfreely through the runway or platform, provide for the ready blowing offor clearance of all trash or foreign matter which may fall upon theplatform. The platform as thus constructed, while light in weight. willbe substantial and rigid enough to withstand all the impact strains inthe landing of machines and to avoid any possibility of deflection ofany portion of the platform liable to cause damage or overturning of themachine during the landing artion.

In practice the sides of the runway may be provided with guards or rails13 extending upwardly therefrom to a sufficient elevation to obviateliability of a machine running off the runway. These may be of anysuitable construction and braced in any desired wa v. They may alsoextend upwardly to a sufficient height to serve as wind barriers toprotect a machine in landing from cross currents of air, thus enablingit to be more easily controlled.

The portion 4 of the structure may extend or flare to any desired widthatits extremity, so as to allow a landed machine to be turned around anda number of machines'to be accommodated at a time without interferingwith other machines which may be landed from time to time. This portion4 may be used as a launching runway for a quick take-off, the machinetaking the air at the moment it clears the brow of the gradient portion,as will be readily understood.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim 1. A landing stage orstation for aircraft comprising a skeleton framework supporting a rigidrunway platform having terminal portions arranged at differenthorizontal levels and an inclined portion between said terminalportions, said plat-form being formed of boards or planks laid withspaces therebetween for the free passage of air through said platform,thereby relieving the rigid structure of wind stresses.

2. A landing stage or station for aircraft comprising a skeletonframework supporting a rigid elevated runway platform having terminalportions arranged at different horizontal levels and an inclined portionbetween said terminal portions, said plat form being composed ofcomponent parts arranged to provide air spaces therebetween.

3. A landing stage or station for aircraft comprising an uprightframework of openwork type, anda runway platform mounted upon saidframework and having terminal portions arranged at different horizontallevels and a gradient portion between said terminal portions, and havingair spaces extending therethrough.

4. A landing stage or station for aircraft comprising a skeletonframework, a rigid runway platform supported thereby, said platformhaving terminal portions arranged at different horizontal levels and aninclined portion between said terminal portions. and said platformhaving air spaces therethrough throughout its length, and guardsextending upwardly from said platform at opposite sides thereof.

A landing stage or station for aircraft comprising an upright rigidskeleton framework, a rigid platform supported upon said framework andhaving terminal portions arranged at different horizontal levels and agradient portion between said terminal portions, said platform beingformed of boards or planks arranged in spaced relation to provideintervening air passages for the passage of air through said platform.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature \VILLIAM J. STEIVART.

